A Knight's Vow
by QTHorror
Summary: There aren't many options open to you when you're 20 foot something giant robot knights that have crash landed on a weird ass organic world. But there are options, and with a little luck they can lead to so much more.
1. Chapter 1

The impact was jarring, no surprise there, seeing as the ship they all were in was the equivalent of a puddle jumper. Very small, very cramped, and designed to go _very_ short distances. So whether it was by luck, fate, or some freak accident, that they _survived_ an impact from an ion cannon and the subsequent merciless spinning through a wormhole and crash landing on a distant planet, Optimus couldn't say. He was just glad they all seemed to be in one piece and suffering nothing more than a few light scrapes and some disorientation.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Optimus couldn't help feeling slightly amused despite the grimness of the current situation. His two young proteges were arguing and grumbling between themselves, one complaining about the state of his plating and wax, and the other lightly mocking him for it. It was comforting. It meant that they were intact and whole, if not stressed and a bit fearful. At least that's what he picked up from the harmonics in their glyphs and their jagged EM fields.

That they had survived was a weight off his spark and shoulders. He cared for them so much; it would've crippled him with guilt if they had perished. But they _hadn't_. And that's what mattered. He'd have to keep reminding himself of that.

For now though, Optimus needed to get a handle on their situation. Where they were. The actual state of their little ship. And where to go from here.

Focusing, he began the process of trying to access the on board AI for more information. The ship, while obviously damaged, still had enough residual power to allow him to access its data banks and tentatively reach out for the AI.

Much of the databases were corrupted, and when his tentative searching for the AI produced results, a surge of pity pierced his spark. The poor AI itself was badly, badly damaged, yet hanging on, preserving as much data as it could and desperately fighting to survive. It's little pings of desperation and fear, rattling around in his processor when it felt Optimus access its systems.

But it was dying. Little by little, very slowly, its sense of self was fading. Soon it'd be like it never existed. A small sound of sadness escaped even Optimus' iron control.

Questioning, concerned brushes of EM fields so similar, there was little doubt they belonged to twins, nudged him from continuing his spiral into sorrow.

"Optimus, what's wrong? How bad is it?"

The uncharacteristic seriousness in the young voice jolted Optimus from his lament more effectively than any electric shock would ever be able too. The young voice that spoke was not meant to sound so grave, so concerned, so very different from its usual teasing cockiness.

Smoothing the ragged edges out of his own field, Optimus flared it out to stroke gently across the two still uneven and afraid. Turning a little to look at the two younger mechs while doing so, he couldn't help in that moment, remembering just how young they were. Despite their past and their capabilities, the two were still very, very young.

And both were shaken by seeing _him _shaken.

Venting in slowly, Optimus stared somberly into the young, blue-violet optics of the red twin that posed the questions, debating how to phrase his hurt. And how to soothe both he and his golden twin.

"This ship's AI, it is fighting, but dying. It will be gone soon."

The words burned as forced their way out. Optimus hated such a senseless loss of life, even if was a life born artificially. He wouldn't, _couldn't _let it fade to nothing. Not without trying to help first.

"I wish to attempt to save it. I need you both to look for anything with the capability of storing it, if only temporarily."

Optimus wasn't sure there was anything on the ship, besides the actual ship _itself_ that could feasibly contain the AI, and the young mechs knew it. He could see that they knew in the glance they shared, but neither seemed inclined to argue. It was most unlike them to not question something they saw as pointless or a lost cause, but their definition of such seemed ever changing. Nevertheless, their compliance was something that he was grateful for, especially when he turned his attention back to the AI and saw it had lost most of its ground in its fight for survival.

The sharp click of aggravation that escaped him caused the two searching to pause and glance over, but Optimus quickly gestured for them to continue what they were doing. Distraction now would be costly and irreversible.

Each moment that passed seemed an eternity and only strengthened the dread he felt as he monitored the AI. It's pings growing fewer and fewer, until they were only coming at sporadic intervals. Fists clenching the console's edge, in a rare display of distressed anger, Optimus allowed his plating to puff up and clamp back down sharply, an angry rumble of his engine following the movement.

A loud whoop of triumph was enough to make Optimus swing around and watch as an excited red and black blur, clutching tightly onto something, nearly rocket into him. Luckily, the young mech was able to stop just shy of completely ramming into him, despite stumbling.

Blue-violet optics framed above a cheeky grin stared eagerly and more than a little hopefully up at him. Black servos clutching at a small box offered it out for him to take, "Optimus! I found this, maybe you can use it."

Nodding in gratitude, Optimus takes the box carefully and examines it, his servos making it look even smaller than normal. It was a dull gunmetal grey and had small grooves on the sides. He recognized it vaguely, and after a moment an old memory from a life long passed, surfaced. Boxes like these were used as quick storage spaces for important data like Intel or personal messages and passed from mech to mech. A few nonsensical glyphs, completely unfamiliar to him, decorated it and distantly he thought it likely belonged to someone with specialized training or education.

Looking at the red and black mech in front of him once he finished inspecting the box, Optimus gives him a small smile, "Thank you Sideswipe."

Turning quickly, Optimus knew there was no more time to dwell on the box, or it's strange glyphs, action had to be taken. Optimus didn't know if the AI could or would fit, but he had hope. It was damaged, so perhaps it wouldn't take up enough space to make this impossible.

Either way, he had to try.

Brushing a digit over one of the grooves, he was pleased when the cube's edges transformed back to reveal a thin cable and connector. Grabbing it delicately, Optimus plugged it into the console's port after a moment or two of searching.

The console took so long to register the connection that Optimus feared all this was for naught, and the AI was doomed. Fate or luck still seemed to be on his side this day, because after a klik or two of anxious waiting the connection finally showed. The second the console registered the connection, the AI's reaction was instantaneous. With a sluggish, flanging screech, what little was left of it surged through the connection and fled into the cube. It took noticeably longer for it to move between connections than it would have normally. Optimus felt the flinch and roil in the twin's fields and the high snarls of two high performance engines at the sound; he was inclined to agree with their sentiment. The sound it had made was awful; it had been the sound of something tortured.

Armor plating held more tightly to his protoform than strictly necessary, Optimus quickly disconnected the cube from the console and subspaced it. He believed that they'd bought the AI a little time, though it was only a temporary thing. After he'd established where they were and what their situation was, Optimus would set to work looking for a more permanent solution.

Turning away from the console, Optimus focused his attention on the still agitated twins. Gold and red armor plating was flexed outward and vibrating slightly from the revving of their engines. Taking a step forward, Optimus reaches out to give them both a brief pat on the shoulder.

Figures that the ship's power would choose that moment to shut down abruptly.

All three of them were plunged into the darkness instantly, nothing but their biolights and optics shining faintly. Instinctively freezing, Optimus clamps a hand down on gold plating that he can feel, but not see. A disgruntled curse and shrug is enough to make him remember himself and remove his hand from the other's plating.

"My apologies Sunstreaker."

A smooth voice marred by an audible pout answers him from the darkness, "My finish is gonna be ruined."

Opening his mouth to further reply, Optimus is interrupted by a slightly deeper voice filled with amusement, "Aww did Sunshine scratch his paint?"

Almost giving into the urge to roll his optics, Optimus ignores the snickering that gets cut off abruptly with a yelp and clanging of metal on metal, and carefully reaches out behind him to find the edge of the console. From there he trails his servo over it, shuffling slowly to the side as he does so, until he reaches one wall of the ship. Firming his servo against it, he finally fixates on the sound of a small scuffle and two pairs of glowing optics.

Venting out quietly, he knows he can't pull them apart without risking all three of them tripping over something, so he'll have to use his next best weapon right now, _his voice._

Letting his voice rumble just so, and flaring his EM field out slightly in admonishment, he watches two glowing pairs of optics focus on him, "Enough. We need to leave this ship. _Carefully_ come over here and follow the wall."

For a moment, he's unsure the two would listen as they focused on one another again, stubbornness lacing their flaring EM fields, but slowly began to shuffle toward him. Relieved, he continues shuffling his way away from the console, using the wall as his guide. It takes all three of them the better part of three breems, filled with cursing and arguing, to get to what, by feel, seems to be the door to their little ship.

Thoroughly becoming fed up with the growing bickering trailing from somewhere behind him, Optimus takes a step back from what he presumes is the door. Shifting his weight back and onto one ped, he lifts the other and delivers a brutal kick to what's directly in front of him. He feels the metal begin to give and bow outward, little streaks of light piercing the inky darkness around him. The sound of the rending metal effectively silences the voices and for a moment, even as his ped throbs a little, he's grateful. Then two voices in tandem shatter the illusion.

"_Holy frag."_

Pulling back his ped again, Optimus delivers two more solid kicks to it, both more forceful despite the growing warning in his ped that it was being damaged. The final kick was enough to send the door flying into a brownish-orange substance.

Cycling his optics rapidly, Optimus stared, completely frozen and stunned at the alien expanse of red pillars and that soft granular substance that the door landed in. Distantly he felt the twins come to stand at his side, shock clearly written in their fields.

They were all very, very far from home.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunstreaker, without a doubt, absolutely loathed this planet that they all found themselves stranded on. True he hadn't seen most of it, just the miles and miles of grating, irritating reddish-brown _filth_ that surrounded their ship. It was unsteady, always shifting whenever he stepped, when they all stepped, and it got _everywhere_. He could feel the itch beginning under his plating as the granules snuck under it each time he lifted or moved something...and the one time he tripped _because the blasted stuff always moved. _Not even fluffing his plating out was helping, and it was starting to get hot too.

So in the short, Sunstreaker was not a happy mech, in fact he was in a downright foul mood. And he foresaw more of this pit-spawned stuff in his future, his paint and finish would be ruined.

Mouth setting itself in a pout, a quick glance of red-violet optics to the side gave him all the information he needed to know about his twin's state. Not that he would've needed to look, considering he could _feel_ his twin's mood. Sideswipe...well he seemed to be a little more cheerful. Sunstreaker wasn't inclined to wonder why, he was too moody and pissed to wonder _why _his twin was so Primus damned happy. He just attributed it to Sideswipe being his usual irritating self.

His observations were only strengthened when a familiar brush of amusement resounded through the bond he shared with his twin. Huffing in irritation he doubled down on tearing off one of the damaged panels to get to the circuitry behind it. Another, stronger surge of amusement from his twin had him grinding his denta together, baring them in a frustrated snarl accompanied by a rumble beginning in his chest. Sharper than normal digits manage to pry away the panel, given strength born purely out of irritation.

A quiet snicker is almost enough to send him spinning around, retort ready on his lips. Sunstreaker barely restrains himself at the last moment, simply sending his disgruntlement down the bond with a warning to back off.

Plating rippling from irritation, both emotional and physical, he doesn't notice, at first the strange silence from his twin's side of the bond.

It isn't until an apologetic brush against his EM field pierces the haze of annoyance, that he finally notices his twin's silence. Glancing up, he meets his twin's optics. They were hesitant and unsure, thinly disguised fear trying to hide itself away in them.

So maybe his twin wasn't so...carefree after all.

And just maybe he was a bit of an aft.

Turning back to what he was doing, Sunstreaker sent back his own apology, full of his regret and all the things he couldn't say. He never was the type to admit something out loud. Fortunately for him, Sideswipe knew, he always did.

The feel of his twin moving into his personal space and coming to rest beside him, lifted a tension he hadn't really known he was carrying. It was...soothing to say the least. Enough so that he allowed himself a rare moment; he allowed himself to lean on his twin like when they were sparklings. The feeling of Sideswipe doing the same was a comfort that he had forgotten he missed.

And that's how Optimus found them. Taking comfort in simply being.

He hated to break it up, especially when they needed it but there was nothing to be done about their ship now and they had to get moving. They had to see if they could find things to repair their ship with.

Venting deeply, Optimus cleared his vocalizer. The twin frontliners looked up at him, optics clear and alert; ready for orders.

"There's nothing we can do for the ship now. It needs repairs and parts we don't have. We need to see if this planet has anything to offer. In the way of parts at least. Anything we can salvage and make work."

Optimus didn't have to expand upon what it would mean if they couldn't make it work. If they couldn't find what they needed, at least to repair their long range communicator. The shared glance between them hinted that they were very much aware of their reality. Optimus desperately hoped that they'd find something.

And he did have hope. It was a tentative hope, one built on the feel of this planet because of how many radio waves it was throwing off. It was _noisy_. And generally where there was noise, there was life. Perhaps they could and would help.

Emotional moment gone, the twins were completely upright and ready to go, Sideswipe more eager to get moving than Sunstreaker. Both back to haughty arrogance and cockiness. Springing forward a bit, Sideswipe propped his hands behind his helm and grinned at Optimus.

"Well what're we waiting for? Let's move! I wanna see the rest of this place!"

Sideswipe could almost feel his twin rolling his optics at him, but disregarded the fear Sunny disguised with anger. There really wasn't any point staying at the ship any longer, like Optimus said, they needed to move.

And besides, the ship was pretty well hidden, with the way it had impacted the reddish pillar and embedded itself at its base. The tons of debris that had fallen on it really helped with its camouflage. All they had to do was remember where it was at, and _that _shouldn't be hard considering how loud this planet was.

If this planet had any created satellites then accessing them would prove to be very advantageous in marking the location of their ship. But that was a big if and potentially dangerous. Either way Sideswipe knew they had to leave the ship.

He knew Optimus and Sunny knew too.

So that's why he sprinted past Optimus and transformed mid-stride, kicking up enough of the sand to form a slow settling cloud. Revving his engine jauntily, he couldn't help laughing at his brother's face.

"C'mon! Let's get going already!"

"Sideswipe you are so dead."

The sound of another high powered engine snarling, and the klik-klik-klik of transformation launched Sideswipe into a flurry of movement. Whipping around, he sped away in a random direction, Sunstreaker tearing off behind him, giving chase.

"Sides when I get my hands on you..."

"Gotta catch me first Sunshine!"

Jeering laughter echoed in the empty expanse as Sideswipe put on more speed to try and keep just ahead of his brother. A feat that was complicated by the fact that his brother was just as fast, and knew him well. But Sides knew Sunny just as well. So the moment that his brother sped around him, pulled ahead, then transformed leaping at him, Sideswipe reacted similarly.

Transforming, both collided in mid-air and were sent tumbling in the sand, plumes of it kicking up until they rolled to a stop. Stunned for just a moment, it wasn't long until they were both rolling around in the sand again, Sideswipe laughing manically as Sunstreaker tried shove a handful of sand at his face.

Neither realized they'd left Optimus far behind them.

And neither noticed the growing rumble of a heavy duty engine until they _both_ were hauled up by their collars and faced with a very stern looking Optimus.

Releasing them once he'd hauled them up, Optimus pressed his mouth together until it formed a thin line. He was not happy that they both rushed off, with no thought of where they were going, or what they could encounter. And both were far faster than he would ever be, they'd covered far more ground than they realized. The dust trail they'd left behind in their wake was the only marker of their passing.

Watching Sunstreaker tense to go after his brother again when he smirked, Optimus stepped between them, a hand at their chests. Frowning fully now, Optimus looked at each of them and rumbled, "Enough. That's enough. We can't afford to get separated. We need to stay together, _all of us_. Separate we have little way of keeping in contact if we drift out of communication range."

He could tell his words didn't have much of an impact; _that _much was obvious in the way Sunstreaker kept his attention fixated entirely on his brother. Shaking his helm, Optimus grabbed them both by the plating on their chests and shook them gently. It was enough to break their concentration. And cause them to squawk in outrage.

Sunstreaker yelped out an indignant,"Optimus!" Not hesitating to try and twist away out of Optimus' grip; he let him watching in veiled amusement as the gold mech stumbled.

Sideswipe on the other hand simply pouted and grabbed at the hand gripping him letting out a whine, "C'mon stop, we get it! Let go."

The temptation to roll his optics was finally too much, there was only so long he could resist. So with blue optics rolling, Optimus released the red and black mech. Watching them both closely for a moment for any sign they were about to take off again, he was satisfied that they wouldn't launch back into another brawl.

Taking a few steps forward, he transformed and began to slowly pull off, heading in the direction that the twins had inadvertently chosen for them. He wouldn't leave them, not after he'd finished scolding them for going off on their own like they did, he was simply encouraging them to follow, albeit more slowly.

And it worked!

It didn't take long before the growl of their engines trailed behind him, both sulking and pouting to themselves. He was just grateful they were all together and not fighting, he'd take their sulking over that any day.

Now he could focus on searching for a sign of life.

And a search it was.

For about two cycles there was nothing but barren red-brown terrain as far as they could see. It was occasionally broken by odd scraggly looking plants and the dust thrown up by their passing. By then they'd all gathered that the planet they were on was very much an organic one. Not that it was too surprising, considering organics were more abundant than mechanical lifeforms.

A glinting sparkle in the distance is what alerts Optimus that they may be close to civilization, that and the exponential increase in radio waves. They all can feel the air around them buzzing slightly and it's enough to make their plating flare a little. There was definitely life here; whether that life was friendly or not...well that was an unknown.

Slowly rolling to a stop, miles away from the glinting that Optimus knew deep down must be buildings, he contemplated the waning sunlight. It seemed to be growing darker, and he felt maybe that was better for them, less of a chance of being seen before they were ready. Maybe anyway.

And now that they were closer, they could attempt to access some communication channels...carefully. Optimus would be the one to, he couldn't let either of his companions, not in good conscience. Idling, he settled himself and began to tentatively reach out and make a connection. The first rush of information was staggering and he was unprepared for the sheer amount of _noise_ these little organics make. Images, text, videos, multiple mediums of information transfer rushed into his mind.

These organics, humans is what they called themselves...they were eerily similar to Cybertronians and they were very, very small by the standards of the galaxy. And they had no knowledge of aliens, only suspicions and curiosity. It wouldn't be safe for he or the twins to reveal themselves. Not now, not when this young species was riddled through with xenophobia toward their own peoples.

They wouldn't accept Optimus, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker, not the majority anyway.

This...this was a complicated situation they found themselves in. More so than before, than they had realized.

They'd have to make the repairs to their ship in secret, they'd have to live in secret.

One thought echoed around in Optimus' mind once he cut the connection, _they'd have to live as robots in disguise._

And wasn't that ironic.


End file.
